Tuesday, February 5, 2013

Patient Inaction for Moments of Anger

Contrasting two pieces of biblical
advice—this one above, with Ephesians 4:26b (“do not let the sun go down on your anger”)—we see an opportunity for responding well.

In both passages there is
acknowledgement of the inevitability of anger. To be angry is to be in a state
recognised and accepted by the Bible. Being angry, of itself, is nothing to be
ashamed of; it’s the outworking of that anger that is usually problematic.

It isn’t the normal human default
response to meet our anger calmly.

We are more likely to take the
haste of the reptilian response, as our anger flashes over at boiling point
reached within seconds. Such a response is a response of a child, for children
of ages 2-5 characteristically lose control instantly.

Our challenge is to rise above the
reptilian response, and, employing the higher adult mind—that which is trained
by virtuous portions of stately patience—we enjoy the ability to remain silent,
pondering the stimulus to anger on our beds (or in some other quiet place,
whether physical or mental).

Engaging in Mindfulness

If and when we are given to
anger—notably the source of rage that has an outworking of damage or the
potential to damage—we have missed the invitation to mindfulness.

Mindfulness is a discipline of the
mind consciously engaged in thought for the moment. Any of us can improve our
capacities to consciously engage within our moments. God provides wisdom to the
extent of our capacity to invest in the learning.

As we are mindful, which is saving
a significant portion of our thinking space for a broader perspective than our
anger, we are blessed with reason beyond ourselves. This is when we know God is
with us, helping us, empowering us to decide with a reasonable mind.

These are practised things. More
and more we can achieve control in our angry moments. When we are practicing
patience with consistency, calmness becomes us more and more, and in explosive
moments we find sufficient capacity to be silent and enough wisdom to wander
away from the danger zone.

***

We can thank God for the capacity
for contemplative silence in moments of rage. But these disciplines we must be
trained in. We will gain in the development of wisdom and patience and
perspective according to the earnestness of our prayers desiring same.

Achieving better outcomes in angry
moments is essentially about gaining mastery over acts of silent inaction within the moment. The less we do, the more
gain there is.